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Jordanian Media Licensing Law Shuts Down 300 Websites
By Daoud Kuttab In a surprise move only two weeks after promises to the contrary, the Jordanian government ordered three local Internet service providers to shut down nearly 300 news websites that have not been licensed by the government-run Press and Publications Department. The decision ordered midday June 2 followed 10 months of promises by the…
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Blocking websites is a punishment for Jordanians
By Daoud Kuttab Thirteen years ago I attended an international event in Amman where then minister of information Saleh Qallab spoke enthusiastically about Jordan’s new media policy. He specifically stressed the fact that the Internet will be an open and free space for everyone. I was so impressed that I decided there and then…
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Hamdallah’s Complicated Job As Palestinian Prime Minister
By Daoud Kuttab It is not clear what we can conclude from the appointment of Rami Hamdallah to head the Palestinian government following the resignation of Salam Fayyad. On the one hand, Hamdallah is known during his long term as the president of Palestine’s largest university as an efficient, centralized bureaucrat who gets the job done. On…
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Palestinian Christians Surprised To Receive Travel Permits
By Daoud Kuttab Alaa from Beit Jala was surprised like many other Palestinian Christians this week when their local church leaders acquired three-month travel permits that will allow them to visit Jerusalem and Israel, and even stay overnight if they choose to. The permits, however, were not given to all Palestinian Christians. “As part of…
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Kerry Plan Focuses on Jordan Valley
By Daoud Kuttab The US efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations continue to face obstacles, but this has not stopped a continuous trickle of information and leaks about some of the major details of the proposed talks. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saed Erekat told the Voice of Palestine Thursday, May 30 that US Secretary of State John Kerry’s…
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Did Kerry Offer Palestinians An Airport?
By Daoud Kuttab The Israeli website that broke the story is not well known, but the content was so appealing that Palestinians jumped all over it. The site, Debkafile, claims that US Secretary of State John Kerry offered to help the Palestinians build their long-awaited airport and to get Israel to turn over a large section of land that…
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My statement on the blocking of Ammannet.net
Daoud Kuttab the founder of AmmanNet condemned the decision of the Jordanian government to block 213 Jordanian news web sites among them one of the pioneer websites in the Arab world AmmanNet established in November 2000 with the blessing and support of UNESCO and the Amman Municipality. Kuttab newly elected executive committee member of the…
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Kerry’s Financial Plan for Palestine Unlikely to work
By Daoud Kuttab During the Israeli reoccupation of major Palestinian cities in 2002, the Israeli army took over the building that was housing Al Quds University’s Educational Television station, of which I was the director at the time. After 19 days, Israeli soldiers withdrew from Ramallah, leaving behind destroyed equipment. Some of the equipment destroyed had…
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WEF Dreams And Palestinian Realities
By Daoud Kuttab On the same day as the World Economic Forum was holding its dramatic closing session with back-to-back speeches from President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli President Shimon Peres and US Secretary of State John Kerry, I was mourning the passing of a dear friend’s mom. Abbas reiterated the Palestinian government’s total commitment to peace and security,…
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Kerry’s ‘Shawarma Diplomacy’ Wins Mixed Palestinian Response
By Daoud Kuttab After Nixon’s ping-pong diplomacy and Kissinger’s shuttle diplomacy, the Middle East seems to be getting to know John Kerry’s “shawarma diplomacy.” The US secretary of state stepped out of the usually scripted diplomatic itinerary and walked the streets of the Palestinian town of al-Bireh to enjoy a quick shawarma sandwich and…